


Mama Bear

by callietomyarizona



Series: Calzona Oneshots [2]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/F, Family Fluff, Gen, post Arizona and Sofia going to nyc, someone challenges Arizona's parentage to Sofia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26414980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callietomyarizona/pseuds/callietomyarizona
Summary: On their way to a trip to Disneyworld, Arizona and Sofia stay overnight in a hotel where someone questions Arizona about her relationship to Sofia.
Relationships: Arizona Robbins/Callie Torres, Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres & Arizona Robbins
Series: Calzona Oneshots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1920934
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	Mama Bear

Mama Bear

When the first summer after Sofia moved back to New York; Arizona along with her, rolled around, Sofia wanted to go to Disneyworld all together and her parents agreed. Soon after Callie was joined in the Big Apple, she and Arizona began to work on their relationship. Both had individually gone to therapy during the years they had been apart to work on themselves, and even before discussing their relationship progressing from co-parents, to friends to the possibility of something more; they had both agreed to also go to joint counselling again as co-parents so they could work through their issues from the past, help them open up to one another in a safe environment and work on joint coping mechanisms for issues they come up against together.

When Sofia brought up going to Disneyworld, they had both been super excited; admittedly Arizona more so than Callie. But as loud and busy as Disney would be, Callie would do just about anything for her girlfriend and their daughter.

They had planned to drive down to Florida, as Arizona still preferred not to fly, and then make an overnight stop in a hotel to break up the journey. Unfortunately, a month before they were set to leave, Callie had an important surgery forced upon her which meant she'd have to fly direct to Florida to join her family a couple of days after. This would allow for Arizona and Sofia to eat as much sugar as they want in the car without Callie having to essentially look after two children.

After an exhausting 10 hour long journey; with thankfully a couple of short breaks to stretch their legs and stop to eat, Arizona and Sofia arrive at their hotel. Both mother and daughter are tired from their journey and want nothing more than to shower, eat some actual food (no matter how tasty they think sweets and chocolate may be) and to sleep as they've got another long journey ahead of them tomorrow.

The pair of them walk to the reception, Sofia dragging her suitcase behind her and Arizona leaning on hers for support. "I'm sorry ma'am but is that your car parked over there?" The man behind the welcome desk said as he pointed to Arizona's car. "You are aware that you're parked in one of our disabled spaces."

"I know that" She was used to this now, people being clueless, so her voice was almost trained to remain calm in situations like this. "I only have one leg, so I need to use a disabled space to help me not have to carry my bags as far, especially after driving here."

The man looked embarrassed and his cheeks reddened, unable to look her in the eyes. "But you can drive?"

Arizona almost rolled her eyes, stopping herself before she accidently escalates the situation. "Disabled people can drive you know? Just because I can drive doesn't mean that I am any less disabled."

"Oh okay…" He sheepishly looked away.

The rest of the check in was awkward but thankfully, the man was trying to move as quickly as possible. Just as she was about to be handed the keys, Sofia (who had been quietly holding Arizona's hand) wanted to be picked up. Shy in front of all the people and tired from the trip, she didn't speak, just tugged at Arizona's sleeve, indicating that she wanted to be picked up. When she was younger, she used to love being picked up by her mothers, now she only does it if she feels unwell or tired.

Carefully, Arizona picked up the small ten year old girl and popped her on her hip, mindful of how she distributes her weight onto her legs as to hot drop her daughter. As she did this, the manager who had been watching the exchange from the office came out to the front desk. "One last thing, please can I see some photo identification?"

"Why? I've already shown my credit card and paid for the room." Her face morphed into one of confusion.

"It's standard procedure. Terry is new here and forgot to do this."

"Oh…" She fumbled around in her handbag, trying not to drop her daughter in the process. Pulling out her drivers licence, she hands it to the people behind the desk.

"Can I have some ID for the child?"

"She's ten. She doesn't have any ID apart from a birth certificate but when I booked online it didn't tell me to bring it with me… She doesn't have a passport because she'd never left America..."

"What is the child's relation to you?"

"Sofia? She's my daughter." Arizona could see where this conversation was going and she didn't like it. Not one bit. Knowing this is going to take longer than expected, she puts the sleepy Sofia back on the floor

"I'm afraid I'm going to need to see some identification for the child before I can let you up to the room."

"Look, I've already said that I don't have her birth certificate on me, but I've got photos on my phone and social media accounts of us together and with our family. Is that not enough?"

"Mummy? Can we go eat? I'm hungry.." A sleepy Sofia says softly, pulling at Arizona's hand.

"Not yet baby, do you want to go and sit over there for a bit whilst I finish up over here?" Quietly, Sofia sits where Arizona suggested, leaning against the wall and pulls out her book.

"Ma'am, we need some identification for the child before we can give you the key." The manager repeated with an expression that Arizona wasn't quite able to decipher.

"Are photos going back to when she was born not enough?"

"No ma'am, those are not legal documents and therefore they don't count. Do I need to call the police?"

"What?! No! There's no need for that. Can my wife or someone send a copy of her birth certificate?" Arizona asks, frustrated but still trying to keep her cool as best she can.

"You can do that ma'am, but I will have to call for a police officer until we see her identification." Arizona just stares at the manager, her mouth unable to form words and just watches as the manager phones for a police officer to come.

Panic spreads through her which roots her to the ground as if someone had nailed her feet to the floor of the hotel lobby. More panic sets through her body when she remembers that she isn't on Sofia's birth certificate; Callie and Mark are. She can feel just how awful this is going to be so she also needs to get the adoption papers from when she adopted Sofia when she was a few months old. Why couldn't they have avoided this whole situation by requesting identification for the any children that stay in their hotel but instead, she has to deal with people's bigoted and close minded view of the world.

Arizona tries taking some deep breaths to center herself but she can feel her heart on the verge of erupting out of her chest. As if on auto pilot, she heads over to Sofia but when the hotel staff give her a dirty look, she leaves her daughter reading her book, thankfully blissfully unaware of the horrors her mother is going through. Deciding against causing an argument, Arizona heads outside and calls Callie and wills that she will not cry. She can cry later, but for now; she needs to be strong.

The first call rings for what feels like an eternity, and when she hears the brunette's voicemail she hangs up and tries again.

And again.

On the third time, Callie picks up and it takes a lot of strength not to shout at her girlfriend, but the blonde knows that won't help and Callie hasn't done anything wrong so she'd just be taking her anger out on her.

"Hey Arizona!" Callie's cheerful voice dances through the phone into her ear. She can tell she's on speaker though as she recognises the echoey sound of the O.R., "Sorry, no one could get to the phone because the patient coded. But thankfully, we're all okay now and he's stable. Everything alright with your journey?"

"Yeah… We um.. Arrived at the hotel maybe 10, 15 minutes ago? Callie could you please take me off speaker? I need to talk to you in private. No one is hurt, I just… Please?"

"Sure thing, just let me finish up here and then I'll pop out for a sec. You'll be okay, won't you Dr Francis?"

Arizona hears an "Of course Dr Torres" and the sound of Callie picking up the phone and taking her off speaker.

"So, what's up?"

"Um… Would you or someone else be able to get Sofia's birth certificate and the papers from when I adopted her? And then scan them and email them to me?"

"I can… I think there's still copies on my laptop from when we re-registered Sof in her school. I can make sure stuff is going okay in the surgery and run and get it? Can I ask why you need it though?" Callie asks, confusion clear in her voice.

"The hotel won't let us use the room unless I can prove that Sof is my child…" Arizona hears Callie take a deep breath and knowing her girlfriend for over ten years, knows that a rant (most likely in angry Spanish) is going to come out of her mouth so she knows she needs to stop it before she starts.

"Please don't say anything Calliope... Honestly, I'm on the verge of tears and I know it's frustrating and stupid but please… Just email me the documents so I can get into the hotel room and hug my baby girl. Please…?"

"Of course, baby. How's Sof? Is she okay?" Callie says, running out of the O.R. wash room; heading straight for her office.

"She's sat reading her book, completely unaware of what's going on and I intend to keep it that way. I'm doing my best to keep my cool but once everything is sorted I won't hesitate to give them a piece of my mind."

"Of course you will, mama bear. Call me later okay? Or if you need anything else?"

"I will" the blonde promises.

"I love you Arizona. I love you and Sof so much and can't wait to see you."

"I love you too Calliope. Speak soon." Both women blow kisses at their phone and then, the line goes dead.

Callie sends over the documents much faster than Arizona expected, which makes her chuckle at the thought of her girlfriend, who hates running with a passion, sprinting down the corridors of the hospital.

With the documents open on her phone, Arizona, leaning against the brick of the building, takes one last deep before turning around and marches back into the hotel with a false sense of confidence hoping that she can fake it until it hopefully becomes real.

"I've got scanned copies of the documents. Do you want me to send them to you? Or can you just look at it on my phone screen?"

"We can just check them over on your phone for now."

Arizona shows her phone over the counter to the manager, who was looking at her over their glasses at her in a condescending manner. "Here's her birth certificate." She says and before the manager can say anything about the fact that her name isn't on the document, "And here are the adoption papers from when I adopted her as soon as she was born and out of the nicu."

She knows she doesn't need to tell that last bit but she's trying to prove some sort of a point. She's gotten used to people assuming she wasn't Sofia's mother and has on occasion had to confront people but it's never been this blatant. Usually, it's more passive with parents asking Sofia if she's sure she should be going home with Arizona, or people saying to her that it's such a wonderful thing she's done adopting a child from 'Mexico or wherever'. No one has ever denied her service for anything before though because of the fact that her daughter has a different skin complexion and hair colour to her.

When the manager finally concedes that Arizona is actually Sofia's mum and is not in fact kidnapping a small child, the police turn up. This gets Sofia's attention and she runs to her mum for comfort, leaving the bags behind her.

Thankfully, the manager tells the police officer that their presence is no longer needed and they leave, but only after checking the documents themselves. When the manager hands over the keys to the room, they don't say sorry or anything - just putting the keys on the counter and pushing them towards the blonde.

The second the pair finally make it to their bedroom, they order a couple of pizzas to be delivered to their room from an outside delivery company, Arizona not wanting to order the room service and give the hotel any money or risk anyone tampering with their food. That she knows is really unlikely to happen but she's paranoid and doesn't want to even risk it.

After both of them are showered, Arizona takes her leg off to rest it and once the pizza has arrived, the two of them snuggle up on the double bed watching The Emperor's New Groove, one of Sofia's favourite films, on Arizona's laptop.

Since they got into the room, Sofia has been acting quieter than usual, and Arizona can see that she's building up the confidence to ask her mother a question. Once Sofia has eaten half of her pizza, she pauses the film and turns to Arizona. "Mama?" she asks quietly, unable to meet the blonde's gaze.

"Yeah, baby? What is it?"

"Why did we take ages to get into the room? Was it because the person had a grumpy face?" The innocence in Sofia's voice melts Arizona's heart.

"Kind of Sof…" Arizona takes a moment to breathe before explaining as simply as she can so she won't upset her daughter. "You know how sometimes teachers who haven't met me sometimes ask who you're going home with at the end of the day, even though I've come to pick you up?" The little girl nods, snuggling herself into the blonde's loving embrace. "Well, the manager thought that, so I had to go and call mami to send me some documents to prove to her that I am your mum."

"But, you're my mama. Is it because we don't look the same? Like how I look like mami instead?"

"Unfortunately you're right. Some people just.. They don't know that families can look different and come in all shapes and sizes."

"But mama, why don't people know that family is made up of people who care for you?" Sofia's eyes fill with tears and Arizona pulls her closer.

"It's probably because they haven't seen families like us. It'll be like people not wanting two men or two women to date or marry."

"That's stupid"

"I know Sof, I know." She runs her fingers through her daughters hair, trying to sooth the little brunette's tears away and keeps stroking her hair, whispering how much she loves her and reaffirming that she'll always be her mama no matter what. That was partially for her to remind herself that no matter what anyone says or does; she will always be Sofia's mother.

The next thing she's aware of is her phone ringing from the other side of the room. Groggily, she opens her eyes and carefully slips out from under her daughter's sleeping body and as softly as she can, hopping across the carpet as she leans on her stick, putting the leftover pizza and her laptop on the side.

"Hello Calliope" she answers the phone, her voice heavy with sleep, as she heads into the bathroom to keep the noise down so Sofia can sleep.

"Are you okay baby? I was worried when you didn't call." Callie's soothing voice comes through the phone as she shuts the bathroom door and carefully sits on the cold, tiled floor.

"I meant to after Sof and I ate dinner, but we never really finished because she asked me what had happened earlier and then we ended up sleeping, with her snuggled up on my lap."

"How did everything go? Is Sof okay?"

"Calliope, it was awful" The tears finally start falling from Arizona's eyes "I felt like I did after the car accident when both you and Sofia were in surgery and I was legally no one and I felt completely helpless. They kept calling my baby girl 'the child' as if I'm not her mother. As if I haven't spent her life looking after her and doing everything I can to make her life great. They treated me as if I was nothing; but I have loved that little girl since before she was born." Her words come out choked by her tears. Callie lets her girlfriend get her emotions off her chest and wishes nothing more that she could be there beside her girlfriend, doing anything she could to make her feel better.

"Once you guys have checked out, we'll file an official complaint okay? So they can't do this to anyone else. And if it is their policy which I highly doubt it is, we'll get how they make bookings so no one has to feel like they made you feel."

"I know it's because Sof takes after you, so she's incredibly beautiful-"

"-Charmer" Callie interjects playfully. "Sorry, just had to say that."

"Shhh you. Both my girls are the most beautiful in the whole world! And that's a fact and don't you argue with me. Anyway, it took all my strength not to scream at the manager and give them a piece of my mind."

"I'm so sorry I couldn't be there with you. If I'd been there, I wouldn't have stayed so quiet. You know I'd have given them a real piece of my mind and caused a massive scene and embarrassed you and Sof."

"Calliope; if you'd have been with us, none of this would have happened because Sofia is a mini you. And I love that. But at times like this I kind of hate it, and I hate that I hate it because I love her so much but when stuff like this happens I'm filled with self hatred."

"I wish I could do more to help, I really do."

"I know, Calliope. I'm just thinking of how much fun we're all going to have at Disneyworld and that's keeping me calmer." She says as she wipes away the remaining tears that are streaming down her cheeks and further onto her neck.

A yawn escapes the blonde's lips and even though she tries to hide it, Callie hears it and giggles "Tired? Do you need to get some sleep to get yourself ready for the excitement of Disney?!"

"I know it's early but I need to sleep. I also need to take my leg off soon because it's starting to rub and hurt so I'll give it a quick massage after I've moved Sofia over a bit; I don't think I can pick her up and move her onto the single bed."

"I promise I'll give you a special Dr Torres massage when I see you and we're in the hotel room and Sofia's asleep." She flirts.

"Well then Dr Torres, I'd better go to sleep so I get that special massage sooner!" Arizona flirts back.

"I'm going to love you and leave you because I am up to my eyeballs in paperwork and I need to get it all done before I get onto the plane tomorrow because I don't want to have to waste time doing it that I could be spending with my two favourite girls."

"You'd better get going then, we've got a lot to do in Disney and I can't have you doing boring paperwork!"

The two women say their goodbyes and Arizona heads to bed feeling better than she had before she spoke to her girlfriend. As soon as she pulls the duvet over her body and her head hits the pillow, the paediatric and foetal surgeon falls into a restful sleep, dreaming of her family.

* * *

The next day, after another exhausting drive, Sofia and Arizona finally reach Disneyworld. When they open the door to their hotel room, they find Callie sat on the bed. "Mami!" Sofia cries out, ditching her bags at the door and leaping into her brunette mother's arms.

"Hello Sof!" Callie bends down and picks up her little girl, pulling her into her chest. "I've missed you so much" She peppers her daughters face with kisses which causes Sofia to throw her head back and laugh.

"Silly mami" she giggles.

"Are you going to come over here, mama?" Callie directs playfully at Arizona who brings her bags and Sofia's into the room. Once she shuts the door, she heads towards her girlfriend and daughter and throws her arms around their necks.

"Are you feeling okay?" Callie whispers into the blonde's ear.

"Much better now you're here with us" Arizona whispers back and when the three release their hug and Sofia is back down on the floor, Callie pulls her girlfriend into a sweet kiss, mindful that their daughter was in the room "Hello to you too, Zona"

"Mamiiiiii. Mamaaaaa." Sofia pipes up, "Can we have some dinner? I'm starving!"

The reunited trio go out and share a large pizza and sides, making Sofia particularly happy for being able to eat pizza two days in a row. Soon after, they retire for the night and early the next morning, Callie is woken up by one excited child and one equally excited adult. They head into the park soon after, Sofia holding both of her mother's hands and Arizona knows that whatever anyone may say or think, this is where she's meant to be because no one can define her family but them and she loves her family with all her heart.


End file.
